Tile tightener



G. F. MILLER TILE TIGHTENER Dec. 27, 1966 Filed June 5, 1964 m T N E V m GAR/7&0 MLLER United States Patent 3,293,816 TILE TIGHTENER Garfield F. Miller, 114 Bradwell Road, Barrington, Ill. 60010 Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 373,003 3 Claims. (Cl. 52-393) This invention relates generally to the art of tile laying, and more specifically to a spring loaded tile tightening device which performs to yieldably load a series of tiles against one another such that they are continuously maintained in a flush relationship.

Floors which have been laid with tiles of almost any composition eventually become worn and damaged with use. One of the principle reasons for deterioration of such floor covering is due to the spreading of the tile under constant foot traffic and the general movement of the tile due to slight flexing of the floor surface. These movements result in tile displacement which causes separation of the tile at the joints and a resulting increase in wearing rate and damage. My invention is directed towards the provision of a spring loaded wall liner channel which maintains the tile under constant compression such that the several tiles are kept in continuous abutment with one another even when expanded somewhat under continuous heavy traffic.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a tile tightener edging strip for tile and composition type flooring which will effectively prolong the life of the floor by yielding to expansion stresses and compensating for areas wherein contraction is taking place, thereby maintaining the tiles in constant abutment with one another.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tile tightener edging strip which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and can be manufactured economically at low cost.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a tile tightening device for installation around the periphery of a tile floor which simplifies the operation of tile installation, and greatly increases the wearing life of the floor.

A full understanding of the construction of this invention, together with further novel features and advantages, will be had from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tile tightener locked in the inoperative position for efiicient packaging.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional end elevation taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional end elevation of the device shown in the operating position yieldably loading a peripheral tile of a floor and showing how a molding strip can be installed to hide and protect the strip.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a floor section shown with tile tighteners positioned along one edge.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 represents an angle strip constructed from a rectangular wall engaging plate 6 which extends normally along the lower edge to form a floor plate 7 also of rectangular shape but of less width than the wall plate. This strip may be formed from a single sheet of material if so desired. Two elongated slots 8 are formed centrally of the width of the wall plate 6 and parallel with the length thereof inwardly spaced from each end. Two further similar slots 9 are located parallel with the slots 8 and disposed adjacent the lower edge of the wall plate flush with the floor plate 7 as best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

A U-shaped channel member 10 has vertically spaced parallel sides 11 with upturned lips 12 protruding from the edges 13 and adapted to locate in the elongated slots 8 and 9. The front 14 of the channel member is provided with three tabs 15, 16 and 17 projecting normally from the upper and lower edges of the front 14. The tabs are formed by semi-circular pressouts from the front 14 and tabs 15 and 16 are disposed inwardly of each end of the channel member in the plane of the lower side 11. The tab 17 is formed in the plane of the upper side 11 and is disposed centrally between the other two tabs. The channel sides 11 are substantially the same depth as the floor plate 7 so that the tabs protrude therebeyond.

An arcuate leaf spring 18 is mounted within the chan-.

nel member such that the convex portion thereof engages on the inner side of the wall plate 6 and the ends 19 engage against the inner side of the channel front 14 adjacent the ends thereof. This spring constantly urges the channel member away from the Wall engaging plate 6 and as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings is retained thereagainst by the lips 12 which extend through the slots 8 and 9 to engage behind the wall plate above each of the slots.

In operation, these tile tighteners are positioned around the periphery of the room to be tiled and the outermost tile is positioned to locate beneath the tab 17 and on top of the tabs 15 and 16. Once the tiles have been positioned the channel member is pressed downwardly towards the floor plate 7 as seen in FIG. 3, of the drawing and the lips 12 pass through the slots 8 and 9 so that the channel member 10 is urged outwardly by the leaf spring to compress the tile one against another. In this way the joints 20 between adjacent tiles 21 are maintained in constant abutment with each other. A surrounding molding 22 is now placed over the tightener to hide and protect the same from damage.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of this invention will be fully apparent. However, since numerous modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the construction exactly to that shown and described, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A tile tightener, comprising, a wall plate, a floor plate projecting normally from the lower edge of the wall plate, a channel member, upturned lips depending from the outer edges of the channel member, said wall plate having slots formed therein to releasably receive the lips, a spring disposed between the wall plate and the channel member urging the same away from the wall plate, and tabs projecting outwardly from the channel in a parallel 3 4 spaced relationship, said tabs adapted to guide and receive through the slot upon depressing the channel member a floor tile edge therebet'ween. downwardly towards the floor plate.

2. A tile tightener according to claim 1, wherein said spring comprises an arcuate leaf spring having ends en- References Clted by the Exammer gaging against the inner side of the channel member and 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS a convex centre portion engaging against the wall plate. 1,885,391 11/1932 Thompson 94-182 3. A tile tightener according to claim 2, wherein said 2,240,789 5/1941 Kinzer 9418.2

lips are adapted to releasably engage behind the wall plate I above each slot, said lips being retained thereagainst by FRANK ABBOTTPrmary Exammer' the action of the spring and adapted to be released 10 JOHN E, MURTAGH, Examiner. 

1. A TILE TIGHTENER, COMPRISING, A WALL PLATE, A FLOOR PLATE PROJECTING NORMALLY FROM THE LOWER EDGES OF THE WALL PLATE, CHANNEL MEMBER, UPTURNED LIPS DEPENDING FROM THE OUTER EDGES OF THE CHANNEL MEMBER, SAID WALL PLATE HAVING SLOTS FORMED THEREIN TO RELEASEABLY RECEIVE THE LIPS, A SPRING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE WALL PLATE AND THE CHANNEL MEMBER URGING THE SAME AWAY FROM THE WALL PLATE, AND TABS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CHANNEL IN A PARALLEL SPACED RELATIONSHIP, SAID TABS ADAPTED TO GUIDE AND RECEIVE A FLOOR TILE EDGE THEREBETWEEN. 